Born John Vivian McVea in Los Angeles, California, and playing jazz in Los Angeles for several years, he joined Lionel Hampton's orchestra in 1940. From 1944 on he mostly worked as a leader. Perhaps his most impressive performance as a sideman in those years was at the first Jazz at the Philharmonic concert in 1944. From 1966 till his retirement in the 1980s he led a group which played traditional jazz at Disneyland, called "The Royal Street Bachelors" in New Orleans Square.

McVea was leader of the Black & White Records studio band and was responsible for coming up with the musical riff for the words "Open the Door, Richard". Ralph Bass got him to record it in 1946 and it became immensely popular, entering the national charts the following year, and was recorded by many other artists.

By BEN RATLIFF

Jack McVea, a tenor saxophonist and bandleader who was a writer of the 1947 novelty hit "Open the Door, Richard," died on Dec. 27 in Los Angeles. He was 86.

Mr. McVea started out playing ukulele in a band led by his father, the banjoist Isaac (Satchel) McVea, who was the first black radio host in Los Angeles, with an early-1920's show on KNX called "The Optimistic Doughnut."

Jack McVea graduated from Jefferson High School in Los Angeles, which at the time was producing a number of important jazz musicians, including Dexter Gordon, Melba Liston and Ernie Royal.

He worked in the house band at the Club Alabam on Central Avenue in Los Angeles, where jazz sizzled in the 1940's, played with Eddie Barefield's big band, and by 1940 had begun a three-year stint with Lionel Hampton as a baritone saxophonist. In 1944 he took part in the first presentation of Jazz at the Philharmonic, the popular touring revue produced by the impresario Norman Granz.

Mr. McVea's place in the history of American music was determined largely by two events, one popular and one obscure. One was his role in creating "Open the Door, Richard," a song based on a comedy routine by the entertainers Dusty Fletcher and John Mason, who performed it in black theaters in the 1930's. Mr. McVea, along with Fletcher, Mason and Dan Howell, changed the words of the routine to eliminate racial stereotyping and set them to a rhythm-and-blues melody.

Mr. McVea had the first hit version of the song in 1947. Other recordings followed almost immediately: by Fletcher, by Count Basie and finally by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five.

The success of the song ensured Mr. McVea work with his band around the country for the next several years, after which he became a sideman for hire, working briefly for MGM and leading a band in Las Vegas.

The other milestone in his career was his participation in a slight but memorable studio jam-session track, "Slim's Jam," recorded with Slim Gaillard and Charlie Parker, when Parker was playing on the West Coast in 1945.

In the record's jokey routine — released under Gaillard's name on the small Bel-Tone label but reissued regularly since because of the evergreen interest in Parker — Gaillard, with his loopy sense of humor, introduced Mr. McVea as "Jack MacVouty," and Mr. McVea proceeded to play a sweet, economical and archetypal rhythm-and-blues solo.

In 1966 he started working at Disneyland, hired by Walt Disney himself, playing clarinet with the Royal Street Bachelors band in the theme park's New Orleans Square. He kept the job for 27 years, retiring in 1992.

Mr. McVea is survived by two daughters, Lyta McVea-Abdullah of Los Angeles and Jacqueline Grant of Rolling Hills, Calif.; a son, Robert L. McVea of Hawthorne, Calif.; 10 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.

Here's a few tunes...........

Baby look at you-Wynonie Harris w/ Jack McVeaBaby make up your mine- JMcV and his All StarsBartender boogie- JMcV and his All StarsBlues with a feeling-Rabon Tarrant w/ JMcV and his All StarsButch- JMcV and his All StarsCarlos- JMcV and his All StarsChop chop boom- JMcV and his All StarsCrows being evicted-Jack McVea and his Door OpenersDirty money blues-Rabon Tarrant w/ JMcV and his All StarsDon't blame me- JMcV and his All StarsDon't let the sun catch you crying- JMcV and his All StarsEvening- JMcV and his All StarsF Minor boogie- JMcV and his All StarsFiddlesticks-JMcV OrchFish for supper- JMcV and his All StarsGroovin' boogie- JMcV and his All StarsInflation blues- JMcV and his All StarsIt never should have been this way- JMcV and his All StarsJack Frost- JMcV and his All StarsJack's boogie- JMcV and his All StarsMumblin' blues- JMcV and his All StarsMy business is COD- JMcV and his All StarsMy Grandfather-JMcV Orch.Naggin' woman blues- JMcV and his All StarsNew Deal- JMcV and his All StarsNo worry blues-JMcV Orch.No, no you can't do dat Mon- JMcV and his All StarsO-kay for baby- JMcV and his All StarsOh, how I miss you tonight-JmcV and his Orch.Ooh Mop- JMcV and his All StarsOpen the door Richard- JMcV and his All StarsPlay it over- JMcV and his All StarsRainy day blues 1-Rabon Tarrant and Jack McVeaRainy day blues 2- JMcV and his All StarsThe crows boogie-JMcV Orch.The key's in the mailbox- JMcV and his All Stars

Don't bruise the feeling-JMcV and his Orch'Frisco blues-JMcV and his All StarsGaucho Hop-JMcV and his OrchHoo Doo you baby-JMcV and his OrchLet's ride, ride, ride-The Savoys, Jack McVea & His Orchestra & Louise BeattyNobody in town can bake a sweet jelly roll like mine-JMcV and his OrchOn the sunny side of the street-JMcV and his OrchOpus boogie-JMcV Orch.She's gone with the wind-Wynonie Harris and JMcV and His All StarsSomebody changed the lock on my heart-Wynonie Harris and JMcV and His All StarsTarrant blues-JMcV and His All StarsTatoe pie-JMcV and His All StarsTequila Hop-JMcV OrchTrying to tell ya-JMcV and His All StarsTwo timin' baby boogie-JMcV and His All StarsUbe Dubie-JMcV and his Orch.We're together again-JMcV and His All StarsWine-O 1-JMcVWine-O 2-JMcV and His All StarsWynonie's blues-Wynonie Harris and JMcV and His All StarsYou brought me heartaches-JMcV and his Orch.You can come back home-JMcV and His All Stars

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The 1940 U.S. Census Project

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